“MR RAFFERTY."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18894, 21 June 1923, Page 12

“MR RAFFERTY."

j “ MILLIONAIRE ” ARRESTED. AN-INTERNATIONAL CELEBRITY. LUNCHED WITH CARDINAL GASPARIU. An American, whose name is given a»B William Warren, i alias “Mr Rafferty, American millionaire,”'who is believed to be the head' of the international gang of thieves caught in Paris recently, has been arrested with his wife and his chauffeur in dramatic! circumstances. They were arriving in Paris from the Riviera in Warren’s luxurious motor car. . It is said he is also wanted by Scotland Yard for the theft of 900,000 francs (about £12,850) in a London hotel. The arrest took place at the Porta d’Orleans. A magnificent Rolls-Royce stopped at the gates’ for the ordinary formalities, but within a few seconds it was surrounded by detectives. DISCOVERY IN THE CAE. One opened the door. “Are you Mr William Warren?” he asked of the clean-shaven and elegantly-dressed man of middle-age, who was in the car with two women. Receiving an affirmative answer, he placed the three travellers and the chauffeur under arrest, and proceeded to inspect the car. In a box under the cushions was found about £1285 in French notes and a quantity of Spanish currency and jewellery estimated at over 700,000 francs (about £10,000). » In spite, of his protests, the. American was taken to the police headquarters. His wife was wearing a curious gown, to which were attached several bags. The latter contained 229 French notes of 1000 francs each,, and 65 Spanish notes for 1000 pesetas each. FORTUNE-TELLER’S FORECAST.

Mrs 'Warren was also wearing a beautiful' gold, locket ornamented with diamonds, and. containing a small piece of paper, on which a fortune-teller o'the Eiviera, whom she had consulted, predicted that she would have “great joy in May.” She had on several diamond rings, one being worth 100,000 francs. In a small handbag, among. other jewels, were a dozen diamond and pearl tiepins. The arrests of the other supposed members of the gang, of which “Mr. Rafferty’’ is said to lie the chief, took place in Paris, when seven men and one woman were trapped. They were of English and Australian nationality. On© of the prisoners whom the police at, first suspected to b© the head of the organisation was. a man with a “cauliflower” ear. It was his disfigurement jvhich led to tha capture of the others. The thieves operated on a large scale in the,leading hotels in Paris and the Riviera, chiefly choosing their victims among wealthy American and English visitors. They were experts in the confidence trick, and, according to the police, in less than a year they had stolen millions of francs. The only clue at first possessed was the fact that one of the men had a “cauliflower” ear. A detective noticed one night an intoxicated, man leaving a select hotel, walking with difficulty. The man had a disfigured ear. The detective helped him into a taxi cab and followed him, and after three days’ investigation came to the conclusion that this was the man with th© “cauliflower” ear. On. .March 23 the gang was arrested. But one remained at large. It was tha “Mr Rafferty,” whose name waa mentioned many times in. papers seized at the prisoners’ rooms. The police, after inquiring on the Riviera, learned that "Mr Rafferty,” posing as an American millionaire, had gone tc Nice. When they arrived there detectives learned that their man had bought a Rolls-Royce for" 145,000 franca (about -£2000), and had left for Paris with two women. The car was traced on its way. to Paris, and was met there by detectives, as stated. According to the'French police, William. "Warren was known to the English police in--1921 under the name of “Bludger Bill,” born on July 25, 188 G, at Capetown, and, according to them, was twice sentenced to hard: labour at Sydney on charges of theft. His wife is said to have been born in September, 187 G, at Sydney. Police investigations tend to show that the exploits of the. gang brought them a booty of 15,000,000 francs (over £200,000). Most of this booty •; is supposed to', be in Spanish banks.. Several of .th© suspects now in gaol, when questioned by , the police, admitted they had collected large sums of- money, but they had put it into' safe custody. Recently the “American millionaire Rafferty” went to Rome, and asked for an audience with the Pope. He -was received bv Cardinal Gasoarri, from whom he asked information concerning French and Italian Catholic charitable organisations, and promised to supply them with funds. The Cardinal incited “Mr P'effertv” to lunch, and gave him notes of introduction to several French and Italian archbishops.